Donaldson had been composing and recording since 1964. He rocketed to popularity in 1971 with his winning entry in the annual Jamaican Festival Song Competition, "Cherry Oh Baby". He went on to win the festival again in in 1977, 1978, 1984 and 1993. The "Cherry Oh Baby" has been very popular, and has been covered more than thirty times, including covers by The Rolling Stones and UB40.
Come a little closer
Eric Donaldson Lyrics
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She was just sitting there givin' me looks that made my mouth water
So I started walking her way
She belonged to bad man, Jose
And I knew, yes I knew I should leave
When I heard her say, yeah
Come a little bit closer
So big and so strong
Come a little bit closer
I'm all alone
And the night is so long
So we started to dance
In my arms, she felt so inviting
That I just couldn't resist
Just one little kiss so exciting
Then I heard the guitar player say
"Vamoose, Jose's on his way"
Then I knew, yes I knew I should run
But then I heard her say, yeah
Come a little bit closer
You're my kind of man
So big and so strong
Come a little bit closer
I'm all alone
And the night is so long
Then the music stopped
When I looked the café was empty
Then I heard Jose say
"Man you know you're in trouble plenty"
So I dropped my drink from my hand
And through the window I ran
And as I rode away
I could hear her say to Jose, yeah
Come a little bit closer
You're my kind of man
So big and so strong
Come a little bit closer
I'm all alone
And the night is so long
The song "Come a Little Bit Closer" by Eric Donaldson tells the story of a man who meets a woman in a little cafe on the other side of the border. As soon as he saw her, he was attracted to her looks that made his mouth water. But he soon finds out that she belongs to a bad man by the name of Jose. Despite this, the woman calls him to come closer, saying that he is her kind of man, and that the night is long and lonely.
The woman and the man start dancing, and while she felt inviting in his arms, he knew he should run away when he heard the guitar player warning that Jose was on his way. The man then looks around and realizes that the cafe is empty, and Jose is standing behind him, warning him that he's in trouble plenty. In the end, the man escapes via a window, while the woman is left behind, still calling him to come closer.
The song suggests that the thrill of the moment can be alluring, no matter how dangerous it might be. The woman is willing to risk her life by betraying her bad man for a chance with a stranger, and the man is willing to risk getting beat up by Jose for a chance with this mysterious woman. It's a cautionary tale of following temptation, no matter how tempting it might appear.
Line by Line Meaning
In a little cafe just the other side of the border
The singer is in a small restaurant situated close to the border and opposite their usual location.
She was just sitting there givin' me looks that made my mouth water
The woman across the room was staring at the singer and making him extremely attracted to her.
So I started walking her way
The singer decides to approach the woman.
She belonged to bad man, Jose
The singer learned that the woman was under the control of a man named Jose and in a bad situation.
And I knew, yes I knew I should leave
Although the singer understood the situation, he was unable to resist the woman's attraction.
When I heard her say, yeah
The woman requested the singer to come closer.
Come a little bit closer
The woman asked the singer to move closer to her.
You're my kind of man
The woman is attracted to the singer and believes he is the kind of man she wants.
So big and so strong
The woman is impressed by the singer's physical strength.
I'm all alone
The woman implies that she has nobody to talk to and wants the singer's company.
And the night is so long
The woman feels that the night is too long and wants the singer to keep her company.
In my arms, she felt so inviting
The singer holds the woman during their dance and enjoys her company.
That I just couldn't resist
The woman is too attractive for the singer to resist her company.
Just one little kiss so exciting
The singer kisses the woman and enjoys the excitement of the moment.
Then I heard the guitar player say
The singer hears the guitar player speaking.
"Vamoose, Jose's on his way"
The guitar player warns the singer that Jose is on his way to find them.
But then I heard her say, yeah
The woman persists in her request for the singer to remain with her.
When I looked the cafe was empty
The singer realizes that the restaurant is empty and everyone has left.
Then I heard Jose say
Jose interrupts the singer's thoughts and speaks to him.
"Man you know you're in trouble plenty"
Jose tells the singer that he is in trouble for kissing the woman.
And through the window I ran
The singer decides to escape through the window to avoid Jose's punishment.
And as I rode away
The singer escapes and rides away from the location.
I could hear her say to Jose, yeah
The woman continues to express her feelings to Jose after the singer's escape.
Contributed by Jayden I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@marcoantoniodominguezosori3067
Amazing. Thanks for sharing
@OrestisKaitsas
great vibes ! peace and pot from greece
@lettersnumbers1259
man this is jammin :3
@predeem1629
This sounds like something straight out of 1969. The early reggae sound
@lespaulw
Sooooooo going to have my local ska band do this. Ska ska ska
@johnlouiefabular5018
We are groot
@kaijukid9644
I am groot